“One event was a relay-race of sorts, with the pledge class broken up into four teams. At the start, each person had to ‘chug’ a beer (some containing raw eggs) and proceed to run up three flights of stairs that had been adequately doused with dish soap, vegetable oil, Crisco, and other slippery substances — not to mention the various food items scattered about."

On the top floor, the pledges were subjected to more abuse as they ran down a hallway, the parent wrote.

“Brothers shot airsoft guns, threw eggs, poked and tripped them with broomsticks, poured buckets of flour on them, and did just about everything possible to slow them down …

The following night was dubbed Entertainment night, for which the pledges bought beer and pizza and paid for two strippers to entertain the fraternity members, then gave their own performance while brothers pelted them with eggs, the parent wrote.

“Some of the acts? Brothers taking hockey slap-shots at the pledge class using tennis balls as hockey pucks; two pledges drinking cups of water with goldfish, regurgitating them back out into a bowl, and another pledge drinking the remainder; and, the most disgusting of them all, brothers violently kicking pledges in the groin to ensure that they were wearing athletic support cups, which they were told to have on 24.7 throughout ‘hell week.’”

While this makes hazing at Tulane look like a death penalty, it's stupid and if you're pulling that crap and expecting it not to emerge in this age is absurd.

it was in some guy's house on campus and run by a bunch of middle-aged guys. my pledge class featured a wide variety of individuals all comedically intertwined by our interest in fun and growing together. rated R for nudity, language and sexual themes.

I was in a fraternity, so perhaps I am biased... But honestly, what college kid tells his parents these kinds of things? I didn't tell my parents what happened in the varsity football locker room in 8th grade.

somebody who felt he was in on the joke for four days and on the fifth felt like he was the target and, thus, no longer liked it. while the actions crossed the line, i find it telling that the acts were related to a relative only after a significant period of time.

I'm sure that the students who complained were dropped/not offered by the frat, but at the same time there really should be no situation when a set of college students shoot other college students with airguns and/or kick them in the groin for sport (or I guess for official purposes as well). I get the whole fraternity culture/mindset (not part of it, but I honestly understand why it is appealing), but there have to be less violent ways to show your dedication and commitment to other people - I'm married, and I never asked my wife to let me beat her up to prove her feelings for me.

I'm sure this will all blow over, but I have little sympathy for a fraternity that should know better than to haze to this degree.

If they made it this far the pledges weren't dropped, rush decides who's in and who's out. The events noted occurred during hell week, thus the pledges were 1 week away from becoming active for the most part. I'm not saying getting "egged" or being kicked in the groin with your nutty buddy on is something I'd look forward to, but these events our passed down from pledge class to pledge class as it's looked as a way to unite the class as the incoming class experiences these "challenges," together and honestly will be talking and joking about them 20 years down the road.

There are a lot of people who get de-pledged somewhere in the process. Being a member of a fraternity, some of this shit makes me sick. Airsoft guns? Really? Why on earth would you feel the need to shoot someone one day and call them your brother the next?

Also, not sure about SAE, but in my fraternity, finding alcohol at anything related to pledging/initiation would be cause for suspension.

"We bring you to Michigan to take care of Michigan; your job is to protect that block M."
-Carol Hutchins

Getting shot with an airsoft gun is hardly anything to cry about. My friends entire hall were armed with them my frosh year in West Quad. They always had full on tactical battles in the hallways. Plus its not like these kids weren't aware they would be hazed. If you rush in this day and age you have to expect it is going to happen or you are sadly lacking in street smarts. The eggs and flour also were common occurrences amongst us gdi's just for falling asleep first. Sad to see them suspended again. Way to go to all the lawyers and soccer moms for murdering lots of great memories for those guys.

I suppose I should choose my words more carefully over the interwebs. I was just trying to express a belief that the media is overreacting to this situation. But I also realize that I am biased on topics pertaining to fraternities.

It was just hard to tell if you had a secret from 8th grade or if you were making a point. I'm probably not the only one who thought, "is that guy serious?"

One more thing: how is this a media over-reaction? Unless there's something I'm missing about the story, the decision to suspend the fraternity was made independently of media reaction. The media is reporting the suspension, not inviting a decision to suspend by reporting the hazing ritual.

"But you can't hold a whole fraternity responsible for the behavior of a few, sick twisted individuals. For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole fraternity system? And if the whole fraternity system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our educational institutions in general? I put it to you, Greg - isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America. Gentlemen!"
[Leads the Deltas out of the hearing, all humming the Star-Spangled Banner]

I think that it might be best for all concerned if this kid and his pathetic parent remain anonymous. This really is a wonderfully stupid story. "Animal House" is profound by comparison. Warning to consenting adults: Don't visit the SAE House if you don't wish to play by their rules. And parents... Oh, never mind.

As long as everybody's consenting to it, that's great. But the IFC and its member fraternities are associated with the University, which makes this a public issue. I'd rather not have my alma mater associated with these shenanigans.

Also, for the record, I never rushed a fraternity, so my opinion isn't based on a grudge against the Greek system.

maybe, just a little bit, if this really had much to do with the University as such. I might be even slightly concerned if anyone had been injured, or if one or more of the pledges themselves had made the subject complaint.

But this was, apparently, an angry report by one parent, of one pledge.

In distinction from your view, I think that I am a bit ashamed that my alma mater would associate itself with this helicopter-parent psychodrama.

And I think I do feel sorry for that SAE pledge. Not because he was wronged by the SAE brothers. But rather because the poor kid has to co-exist with that parent.

taking hockey slap-shots at the pledge class using tennis balls as hockey pucks; two pledges drinking cups of water with goldfish, regurgitating them back out into a bowl, and another pledge drinking the remainder;